Second Michigan State trustee says President Lou Anna K. Simon should resign

Updated January 24, 2018 at 5:31 PM;Posted January 24, 2018 at 5:20 PM

Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon talks to Danial Munford of MSU Police Department on the second day of Larry Nassar's sentencing at the Ingham County Circuit Court in Lansing on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2018. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)

East Lansing, MI -- Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon should resign immediately, MSU Trustee Dianne Byrum said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.

"It is clear that the public has lost confidence in the current administration of Michigan State University, and changes are needed to move the university forward," Byrum said in a written statement.

"I support the resignation of President Simon, effective immediately, and I support the investigation by the Attorney General that will provide a full accounting of what happened and take an important step toward restoring trust, which has understandably been shaken," the statement said.

Byrum is the second MSU trustee since Saturday to call on Simon's resignation over the university's handling of the Larry Nassar controversy. Trustee Mitch Lyons also has said that Simon should step down.

The MSU Board of Trustees met for a four-hour, closed-door meeting Friday to discuss the increasing calls for Simon's ouster. They came out of that meeting with a unanimous statement of support for Simon, who has been president since 2004.

But national attention on Nassar's sentencing-hearing, in which more than 150 women told stories of abuse, has put additional pressure on the university. Nassar was a doctor at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic for 20 years, and he was sentenced to 75 years in prison Wednesday for molesting patients, many of whom blame MSU for ignoring red flags about his behavior.

Byrum's statement also slammed recent comments by board Vice Chair Joel Ferguson and the administration's handling of the controversy in general.

"Second, I am disgusted by the abhorrent comments made earlier this week by Trustee Joel Ferguson, who does not speak for other members of the MSU Board in any way," Byrrum's statement said.

On a radio show Monday, Ferguson described the Nassar controversy as "a lot of noise" and said: "I think the young ladies who have been wronged by this person, I think in the case there will be a--you can never use money to completely make over people's pain and suffering, but there's going to be something happen in their favor."

"Unfortunately, through this terrible situation, the university has been tone deaf, unresponsive, unapologetic and insensitive to the victims. As a woman who has always fought for womens' rights and victims' rights, and encouraged women in all areas, it is deeply troubling to me that so much pain and suffering has been caused by my alma mater," the statement said.

"A full public accounting, top to bottom, is long overdue and I support it, along with a change in the current administration and a change to the culture at Michigan State University. We owe it to the victims, the public and ourselves to do the right thing and let the healing begin," the statement concluded.